Safe & Sound
by Violet Watson-Holmes
Summary: What will happen when Katniss and Gale are Reaped into the Hunger Games together, will their Friendship be pushed to the limit or become something more?
1. The Reaping Part 1

Chapter 1

It is the morning of the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games.

Katniss climbs beneath the uncharged fence that she has gone under every day to meet her friend, and hunting partner Gale, in the woods outside their poor district, District 12.

She greets Gale who was sitting on a rock waiting eagerly for her to arrive before the reaping, he is sure that with his name on 42 of many the slips from District 12, that he will get his name drawn this year.

"Catnip!" he yells as he gets up from the rock and meets her halfway.

"Gale,-" she gets cut off. He wraps his arms around her and says into her shoulder,"I'm scared..".

She is confused and breaks away from his forceful hug, "Gale, you'll be fine, they could draw any name"

"Yeah Katniss, even yours, our families depend on us, how would they survive?" he gushes.

"Gale, if you get reaped, I'll provide for your family until you come back" she says confident.

"Catnip, If my name is drawn, I won't be coming back, and you know that"

Gale notices she is holding back tears, "I don't want to think that way Gale, if that does happen, I want, NO, I WILL need to stay positive, that you'll win, and come home and everything will be better".

"I don't want to talk about this anymore, Katniss" he says avoiding the situation by walking back towards the fence.

* * *

Katniss is holding her younger sister, Prim's hand as they walk to the Reaping in the center of District 12.

"Katniss, what if I am chosen" says Prim as she looks to her sister.

"Prim, your name is only in there once, you will not get chosen".

They continue to walk when Katniss spots Gale in the crowd, he mouths the words "I'm sorry" as she walks by with prim. Katniss looks at him acknowledging that she forgives him for leaving.

She ushers Prim to go stand with the other kids her age.

"Welcome! Welcome! Happy Hunger Games and may the Odds Be Ever in your Favor! Now, Before we Begin ,We have a special message brought to you all the way from the Capitol!" Effie says as the Reaping begins.

After the video Effie picks up again "As usual, Ladies first". As Effie waves her well-manicured hand in the glass bowl Katniss starts thinking:

_What if its Prim?!_

_It can't be Prim, it's only her first year, only one slip._

Effie picks the small slip of paper out and reads the name off, "Primrose Everdeen".

* * *

**Tell me what you think, review, i will be following along with the movie more than the book, mostly because i haven't read the book in a while where as the movie is still fresh in my head, let me know about anymore pairings that you would like to see, i will try to put new chapters out quick, but i do procrastinate so i apologize in advance. Thank you. - CarolinePetrova 3**


	2. The Reaping Part 2

Chapter 2

Katniss's mind is racing, _Prim?!, she said Prim, what am I going to do?!_

Effie calls out to Prim, "Primrose? Come on up Dear".

Primrose begins to walk up to the stage, when Katniss comes back to reality, she runs out into the aisle, "I volunteer as Tribute!"

Prim looks at her distraught.

Effie is stunned but bounces back, "Well come up here dear".

Katniss walks up onto stage, while Prim starts crying, Gale steps out from the crowd and holds Prim back from running up on stage, or telling Katniss that she can't abandon her family.

"What's your name?" Effie asks Katniss with a wondering glare.

Katniss replies with a stern, "Katniss Everdeen".

"Well Katniss, I am guessing that is your sister"

"Yes" she answers with a hush tone.

"Well Give it up for District 12's first volunteer" Effie spats even though she knows that everyone will keep silent, and they do, all except for Prim who is still being held by Gale.

"And now for the Boys" Effie says with enthusiasm.

She pulls out the slip and reads off the only name Katniss doesn't want to hear other than Prim's.

"Gale Hawthorne"

Katniss gulps upon hearing his name, she looks to Gale still restraining Prim when he notices she just spoke his name. he looks around flustered but calmly, he lets go of Prim and walks up on stage, everyone is quiet still except for Prim of course.

When he arrives on stage he stands next to Katniss clenching his fists.

"Gale what are we going to do?" she says trying to make it the least obvious that she is speaking. Gale copies her mouth movements, "I'll take care of it". She doesn't know what he means by that but she doesn't argue.

Effie then announces, "Here we are, Our tributes from District 12".

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter is was at the story's convenience to stop. Tell me what you think or suggestions on pairings. I hope you will help me make my writing better, this is only my second story, im still new :) R&R - CarolinePetrova**


	3. Unexpected Visitors

Chapter 3

They shove Katniss into a room and Gale into another it is time that they get visitors.

Katniss is pacing the room taking in everything that just happened.

_Prim was chosen, but I volunteered._

_I will have to Kill my best friend or watch him die._

_Gale! Gale was also chosen._

_He will die, I will live._

_We will both die._

_But we can't both live._

Quickly a boy with blonde hair is shoved into my room, _I have seen him before, he helped me when I needed it most, the baker's son Peeta Mellark. Why was he here, I have never had a conversation with him?_

"Katniss" he says, "I know you must be scared, wondering how your mother and sister will survive with both you and your friend gone, tell your sister on Thursdays I will leave a loaf or two of bread behind the bakery for her and your mother".

"Why, Why are you helping me?"

The peacekeepers had dragged him out before he could answer.

* * *

Before she knew it her Mother and Prim were in the room and Prim runs to hug her. Katniss tells Prim about Peeta's promise to feed them while I was gone. "Katniss, come home, you and Gale need to come home" she says desperately.

"Prim, we can't both come home, it will be one of us or none, I will do everything I can to survive, for you Prim" Katniss says.

Her mother says nothing still shocked and the peacekeepers pull them out.

* * *

The next person to come into that room shocked her even more than Peeta did, it was Gale.

"Catnip" he says as he hugs her and she hugs him back terrified about the future. He just stands there looking at her for a moment until she interrupts his stares.

"Gale, I'm scared, I don't want to lose you" she says as she hugs him again, as she needs the comfort.

"I don't want to lose you either" he says as they are interrupted by a peacekeeper.

"Hey, you can't be in here" he yells as he drags Gale away.

* * *

They are then put on a train, both her and Gale, together. The first thing they see is the plentiful amount of food on the mahogany table. They take advantage of it and head straight for it. Effie stops them as they are reaching for food and spats, "Use a fork, we are not barbarians".

Her and Gale meet eyes and giggle, the first laugh since they were reaped, it was good that it was about something Effie said.

* * *

**I thought since this is going to be more angst and romance i would add a little comedy, Review, and Tell me what you think, i appreciate everyone who has read this and favorited it, it made me smile. If you noticed i added some Peeta, there will be more of him, i promise. - CarolinePetrova**


	4. Starcrossed Lovers

Chapter 4

While Gale and Katniss are stuffing their faces full of food, Haymitch enters with a flask in hand, "Well these must be our District 12 tributes".

"Yes Haymitch, its nice of you to join us, Katniss, Gale, this is your mentor Haymitch Abernathy" Effie says with delight .

Haymitch takes a seat at the table across from Katniss and Gale. "So, I hear you two are friends, I can work with that, probably not for long but if you really want to survive this we are going to need to play you two together".

Katniss doesn't know what that means, Gale manages to spit out, "What does that mean".

"You two will survive a heck of a lot longer if people believe that you two…, are in love" He says knowing that they might not like those words.

Katniss's eyes widen, while Gale just sits there silent.

"I knew you guys wouldn't want to hear that but it's the truth, sponsors root for that kind of stuff, the whole star-crossed lovers, you will need all the sponsors you can get" he says being as brutally honest as ever.

"Katniss, can I speak to you, alone" Gale says as he finishes chewing the roll he was eating. Katniss stands and walks to the hallway with Gale following closely behind her.

Gale says whispering, not wanting Effie or Haymitch overhearing, "Let's escape, I know we can". Katniss looks at him in disbelief, "Gale, no, there's guards everywhere, they would catch us". "Catnip, I am not just going to stay here and die, let alone watch you die" he says with a gulp in his throat.

"Gale if this is about what Haymitch said, I don't like it either but I am willing to act like we're in love with each other, I don't want to die. There's no way we can leave though, 73 games we've had, 24 tributes each, at least one tried to escape"

Haymitch comes and interrupts, "We'll be in the capitol soon, there you will go and meet with your stylists for the opening ceremony where we present you two as District 12's tributes, understand?" they both nod their heads and go back to the table where Effie was sitting.

* * *

Katniss and Gale are being ushered through the capitol building and are put into separate rooms to meet with their stylists.

As Katniss sits on the lit up table with strange looking people touching her and pointing out her flaws, she is overwhelmed, until Cinna walks in, everyone is silent as he makes his way towards her, "Hello Katniss, I'm Cinna, I am stylist".

Katniss spats back, "You're here to make me pretty".

"I'm here to help you make an impression" He says correcting her, "I know in the past District 12 were all coal miners, but this year is going to be different".

"I am going to set you on fire".

* * *

**Thank you all for the great reviews, just to let you know new chapters will be up later in the night rather than mornings because its hard for me to concentrate during the day compared to the night. send me suggestions, im always open for feedback. thank you. -CarolinePetrova**


	5. The Procession

**New Update: i probably won't have a new chapter for some time, i am currently really busy with school and holidays, so maybe around thanksgiving, the latest christmas...sorry i hope you all understand..**

* * *

Chapter 5

Katniss walks out of the room in her black unitard as she waits for Gale to come out. A few minutes after Katniss comes out Gale joins her in his matching Unitard.

Katniss giggles at the sight of Gale in a unitard, "Laugh it up" he says stepping towards her.

"Yeah well at least they didn't wax almost all the hair off your body" She says.

Gale laughs with displeasure, "Oh they did".

"What?! Really" She says still laughing.

Cinna pulls Katniss aside, "Your mentor told me to remind you about playing you and Gale together, this would be an important time to do so". Katniss nods her head and joins Gale in the chariot, they set both of them on fire and send them off.

Gale takes Katniss's hand in his, "We have to pretend" he whispers to her.

They are lead through the streets in their horse-drawn chariot with their hands still locked together. Katniss looks at Gale and sees how good he looks with the synthetic flames and figures she does too, only then does Katniss see all the attention they are getting from the crowd and is relished, she then takes advantage of it and waves and blows kisses. At the end of the procession the tributes from the other districts shoot them a dirty look of jealousy about all the attention they were getting.

* * *

Katniss is lying awake in her bed, not being able to sleep from the thought of training tomorrow and her imminent death in the games. She tosses and turns for an hour or so until she gets up and goes to the roof.

When she gets to the roof she immediately feels a lot more calm and relieved until she notices that someone else was inhabiting the roof, that person was Gale.

She sits down next to him, "You couldn't sleep either?"

"Am I that obvious?" he says.

"I couldn't either, just the thought of not seeing my mom or Prim again-"she starts when she is cut off, "Catnip, don't think that way". "there's 24 of us Gale, only one comes out" she says rebutting.

Gale pulls something from his pocket and when he uncovers his fingers from their grasp she sees that it's a pin, a pin with a mockingjay smack-dad in the middle, she is confused.

_Why is he showing me this, _She thinks, _What is it for?_

"Where did you get this?" she asks furiously.

"Madge, she gave it to me a while ago" he says contemplating her anger, "I want you keep this, no matter what happens".

"Gale, there's no way I am keeping this, you're not going to die"

He chokes down the words, "If it means you go home, then yes I will".

* * *

**sorry it took so long for me to put this chapter up but i have been very busy lately, just to let you guys know i will not be posting a new chapter between the 21 and 26 of this week i will not have access to the interwebs, im very sorry, tell me what you think, REVIEW please. -CarolinePetrova**


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